How to Become an Electrician in Arkansas
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects 9% job growth for electricians in Arkansas between 2020 and 2030, a rate much higher than the national average. This makes electrician careers a strong choice for job security and employment opportunities. If you plan to become an electrician in Arkansas, it is important to understand the education, training, and licensing requirements. [En Español]
Requirements for Becoming an Electrician in Arkansas
The department that licenses electricians in the state is the Arkansas Board of Electrical Examiners. The Board licenses electricians in the following categories:
- Journeyman electrician
- Master electrician
- Residential journeyman electrician
- Residential master electrician
- Air conditioning electrician
- Industrial maintenance electrician
- Electrical apprentice
The first step to becoming an electrician in Arkansas is completing a training program. This can be a vocational school, career school, or apprenticeship that combines classroom instruction with hands-on experience. Many technical and community colleges offer these programs. Another option is to complete an electrician school program, either online or in person, to learn the National Electrical Code and other technical skills before starting an apprenticeship. These programs typically lead to a career diploma.
The next step is obtaining a journeyman electrician license. An approved apprenticeship program provides the required hours for licensing. If you do not complete an apprenticeship, you must have eight years or 16,000 hours of field experience in electrical construction. In Arkansas, all applicants must pass the journeyman electrician exam to become licensed.
To become a master electrician in Arkansas, you need six years of work experience in construction, including two years as a licensed journeyman. Another path is earning a degree in electrical engineering and completing two years of work experience. Master electricians can also become Independent Electrical Contractors after holding a master electrician license for at least five years. Each license type requires passing an exam, making continuing education and technical training essential.
Once licensed as a master electrician in Arkansas, you can apply to become a licensed electrical contractor with the Arkansas Contractors Licensing Board. You can search for Arkansas licensed contractors here.
Beyond this, with five years of experience as a master electrician (or employing someone with this qualification), and passing the Arkansas Business and Law exam, you can also apply to become a licensed commercial contractor, allowing you to work on residential properties and projects of larger value.
In the state of Arkansas, all Master Electricians, Journeyman Electricians, Residential Master Electricians and Residential Journeyman Electricians must obtain 8 hours of continuing education (CE) every code cycle before license renewal. All hours must cover the current National Electrical Code (NEC).
Electrician Apprenticeship Programs in Arkansas
Electrician schools provide one path to becoming an electrician in Arkansas, but an approved apprenticeship program is often the best option. An apprenticeship meets all the requirements for a journeyman license while providing both classroom instruction and hands-on training with a master electrician. Both union and non-union programs are available, each lasting four years.
Union apprenticeships are affiliated with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and include:
- El Dorado Electrical Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee, El Dorado
- Jonesboro Electrical Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee, Jonesboro
- Fort Smith Electrical Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee, Fort Smith
- Little Rock Electrical Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee, Little Rock
To qualify for an apprenticeship program, you must be at least 18 years old, have a valid driver’s license, provide a high school transcript or GED certificate, complete one algebra course, pass a drug test, and pass an aptitude test.
The non-union Mid-South Chapter of Independent Electrical Contractors also offers an apprenticeship program that includes 144 hours of classroom learning and 8,000 hours on-the-job training. The requirements for being accepted are similar to those for the union programs.
Penn Foster College – Residential Electrician Career Diploma
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Outlook and Salary Expectations
If you choose to work toward becoming an electrician in Arkansas you can expect to have a lot of opportunities for jobs. The U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) records that in 2020 there were 6,500 electricians working in the state and that there will be nearly 7,070 by 2030. This should mean the opening of 840 electrician jobs in Arkansas each year.
Salaries for electricians in the state are commensurate with the extensive training required to become licensed. The average annual salary in 2020 was $48,480. Top earners, those who have a master’s license and more years of job experience, can earn $66,080 and more.
Salaries in Arkansas by Occupation
| Occupation | Total Employment | Mean Hourly Wage | Mean Annual Wage | Annual Salary 10th Percentile | Annual Salary 25th Percentile | Annual Salary 75th Percentile | Annual Salary 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electricians | 6,500 | $23.31 | $48,480 | $32,500 | $33,770 | $59,070 | $66.080 |
| Helpers--Electricians | 250 | $12.05 | $35,610 | $25,070 | $27,070 | $38,730 | $50,640 |
| Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment | 290 | $28.64 | $80,360 | $30,210 | $41,140 | $80,360 | $94,310 |
| Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment | 440 | $24.99 | $51,980 | $36,620 | $42,820 | $63,650 | $75,840 |
| Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay | 290 | $46.44 | $96,600 | $62,790 | $83,370 | $104,310 | $104,310 |
| Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers | 1,940 | $35.29 | $73,410 | $38,720 | $57,990 | $95,130 | $100,670 |
Electrician Salaries in Arkansas by Region
| Area | Total Employment | Mean Hourly Wage | Mean Annual Salary | Hourly Wage 10th Percentile | Hourly Wage 25th Percentile | Hourly Wage 75th Percentile | Hourly Wage 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | 2,450 | $26.28 | $54,560 | $17.70 | $21.96 | $31.94 | $36.70 |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | 270 | $28.25 | $58,760 | $16.09 | $19.95 | $36.18 | $36.18 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO | 1,120 | $23.40 | $40,830 | $11.42 | $18.53 | $28.93 | $33.84 |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | 280 | $23.48 | $48,680 | $17.03 | $17.92 | $28.07 | $33.75 |
| Hot Springs, AR | 220 | $21.91 | $45,560 | $14.21 | $17.62 | $26.50 | $28.40 |
| Jonesboro, AR | 180 | $23.44 | $48,750 | $14.81 | $18.28 | $28.09 | $29.20 |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | 1,780 | $22.80 | $47,430 | $15.74 | $18.22 | $28.39 | $29.70 |
| Pine Bluff, AR | 130 | $33.70 | $70,100 | $20.47 | $27.16 | $37.09 | $37.09 |
Working as an Electrician in Arkansas
With career opportunities for licensed electricians in Arkansas growing, now is a great time to enter the industry. Many electricians work as independent contractors or for electrical contracting businesses. Journeymen and master electricians without a contracting license often start by working for contracting businesses, construction companies, developers, or government agencies on residential and commercial projects.
Choosing a career as an electrician in Arkansas is a smart move if you are ready to have a hands-on job that is different every day and that will give you a great income and job security. Not just anyone can do this job, though, and you have to be willing to put in the hours to learn and train how to be an electrician.
Organizations you should know
- Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Arkansas Chapter
- IBEW District 10 Arkansas
- IBEW Local 295 Little Rock
- IBEW Local 700 Jonesboro
- Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC) Midsouth Chapter
Electrician Schools in Arkansas
- Central Arkansas Nonmetropolitan Area
- East Arkansas Nonmetropolitan Area
- Fort Smith, AR-OK
- Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
- South Arkansas Nonmetropolitan Area
Central Arkansas Nonmetropolitan Area Area
1000 Iowa Street, Beebe, Arkansas 72012-1000
(501) 882-3600
Electrical Apprenticeship – Certificate Program
Arkansas State University offers various Certificate program options for future opticians. Classes are taken at their Beebe campus in the town of Beebe, Arkansas. The college has round 3,935 students in total, with the majority of students on 2-year programs. The university is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, The Higher Learning Commission. Tuition fees for in-state students are generally about $3,570 and for students from other states approximately $5,730 annually. Books and supplies can cost around $1,300, although this will depend on the program.
East Arkansas Nonmetropolitan Area Area
2005 White Drive, Batesville, Arkansas 72503-3350
(870) 612-2000
Industrial Technology – Associate Program
The Industrial Technology Associate’s degree program in Industrial Technology at University of Arkansas Community College is offered at their Batesville campus in the town of Batesville. The college has round 1,387 students in total, with the majority of students on 2-year programs. The University of Arkansas Community College-Batesville has institutional accreditation from the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, The Higher Learning Commission. The cost of tuition for in-district students is roughly in the order of $2,466 and are $2,790 and $4,218 for in-state and out-of-state students respectively, while study materials may cost roughly $1,400, depending on the program.
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR Area
3000 W Scenic Dr, North Little Rock, Arkansas 72118-3347
(501) 812-2200
Electrical Systems – Certificate Program
Pulaski Technical College offers multiple training options, including a Certificate program and an Associate program. Classes are taken at their campus in the city of North Little Rock, Arkansas. The majority of of the school’s 7,641 students are on 2-year programs. The college is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, The Higher Learning Commission. The cost of tuition for students living in the state is around $5,170 and for out-of-state students around $6,340 for each academic year. Study materials can cost roughly $800, depending on the program chosen.
Neighbor States
Residents of Arkansas may also wish to review their options in Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri and Tennessee.
FAQs
What are the requirements for an Arkansas electrical license?
- 1. Complete an electrician training program and/or begin an electrician apprenticeship program
- 2. Gain the job experience necessary for a journeyman electrician license (8,000 hours in apprenticeship)
- 3. Take the journeyman exam
- 4. After 6 years in the construction industry (2 years as a journeyman) or an electrical engineering degree plus 2 years of construction experience, you can apply for a master electrician license.
- 5. Take the master electrician exam.
How much do electricians earn in the state of Arkansas?
According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, electricians in the state of Arkansas made an average of $44,180 per year in 2019. Entry-level electricians earned around $26,240 and some experienced professionals earned salaries as high as $63,150.
